The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Installing OS on external

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by gpister, Jul 1, 2008.

  1. gpister

    gpister Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    29
    Messages:
    384
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I was about to install an os on my external hard drive, but i got this issue. " Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Setup does not support config of or installation to disk connectors through a USB or IEEE 1396 port. I have no idea. I heard it was an easy process to do. I was going to install windows vista ultimate just for a back up on my external. Am i doing something wrong is there a trick to it. Thanks in advance.
     
    gpister, Jul 1, 2008
    #1
  2. TheRealFireblade

    TheRealFireblade Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    163
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Is it a 'genuine' external hard drive, or a standard internal hard drive, in an external enclosure?

    I didn't think you could install the OS on external drives... certainly not without some major configuration hassles?
    However... by using a standard hard drive, and an external enclosure... you would be able to install the hard drive in a desktop system... install the OS, then transfer the hard drive to the external enclosure ;)


    Theoretically at least :D
     
    TheRealFireblade, Jul 1, 2008
    #2
  3. tdf

    tdf Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    4
    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    External/internal doesn't make a difference, the fact that it's (I'm assuming) connected through USB does (as the error says). I've tried that a while ago, but didn't find any solution.
     
    tdf, Jul 1, 2008
    #3
  4. jisaac

    jisaac Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    306
    Messages:
    1,141
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    No window os supports booting off an external usb device, because the usb drivers aren't loaded quick enough at OS bootup. There are many ways to allow booting off an external device, but all require you to modify the original XP or Vista iso, the success rate, as such, is very small. Furthermore what is the point? your hd will be much slower connected via usb.
     
    jisaac, Jul 1, 2008
    #4
  5. gpister

    gpister Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    29
    Messages:
    384
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thanks for the responds i just wanted to have 2 OS system just incase the regular hard drive would ever go down since you never know. Thanks for the help :D.
     
    gpister, Jul 1, 2008
    #5
  6. Rodster

    Rodster Merica

    Reputations:
    1,805
    Messages:
    5,043
    Likes Received:
    396
    Trophy Points:
    251
    Your better off installing a second HDD in your computer. When you boot into Windows just have the drive turn off under, power options. ;)
     
    Rodster, Jul 1, 2008
    #6